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Takashi Yamazaki
Takashi Yamazaki (山崎 貴史, Yamazaki Takashi) is a fictional character in Clamp's anime and manga series Cardcaptor Sakura. Name Takashi is almost always referred to by his family name, Yamazaki, as he is addressed as such by every character in the series. This is an example of common courtesy in Japanese culture, where individuals are addressed by their family name, until close familiarity allows the use of the given name. As such, all the girls in the series address each other by their given names because of their close friendship. Yamazaki only addresses Chiharu by her first name. Yamazaki is named after film director, Takashi Yamazaki, who is a friend of CLAMP's. Character and Role Yamazaki is one of Sakura Kinomoto's (Sakura Avalon in Cardcaptors) classmates in school. He is the only named male classmate in the series before the arrival of Syaoran Li (Li Showron) and Eriol Hiiragizawa (Eli Moon). He often appears alongside Sakura at school and during school events and appears to be a good friend of Syaoran's as well as Sakura. Yamazaki is brave and cares very much for Sakura and her friends. In the third season of the anime, he tries to save Rika from drowning in fierce waves. Yamazaki's defining trait in the series is his ability to fabricate highly detailed stories and histories about practically any subject. His inspiration is usually what he sees in front of him or the topic of the current conversation. Sakura and Syaoran seem to fall for these stories just about every time. The series (especially the anime) uses Yamazaki's stories as a primary element of humor during school scenes. When he speaks, everyone listens, and the background music changes appropriately. He has covered many subjects with his lies, including but not limited to: sloths, skiing, beach volleyball, calendars, and swimming competitions. Yamazaki's stories do not last very long, as he is usually very promptly interrupted by classmate Chiharu Mihara (Chelsea). Chiharu is one of the very few classmates who never get fooled by Yamazaki's stories, and she disciplines his misleading of other students (especially Sakura and Syaoran) often by strangling his neck until he stops talking. Oddly, she is sometimes still unsuccessful and then resorts to dragging him away (by the collar). Yamazaki gains a storytelling ally in Eriol when he joins the class in the second arc of the series. He and Eriol respond to each other's cues perfectly and can together enforce the false validity of their story by both appearing to have detailed knowledge of the subject. Here, Eriol's presence sometimes prevents Chiharu from effectively intervening and saving her classmates from a long-winded lie. Another notable trait of Yamazaki is that he never opens his eyes (except on three occasions in Episode 13, Episode 18 and Episode 64). This trait is identified by Meiling Li (Meilin Rae) in the third episode of Tomoyo's video diary specials (titled You're great, Sakura-chan! Tomoyo's Cardcaptor Sakura Action Video Diary 3) when Yamazaki mysteriously has his eyes opened on an occasion. Meiling's hypothesis is that Yamazaki's eyes are open only when he is telling the truth. This turns out later not to be the case, and that he was only opening his eyes because Chiharu is constantly stomping his foot. While generally viewed as lighthearted and energetic, Yamazaki can also be sensitive and serious. In the last volume of the manga, when Sakura was down in regards to her feelings toward Syaoran, he leaves the scene in order for Chiharu to talk to Sakura about the depth of her relationship with Yamazaki. Chiharu adds that he understands that Sakura needs her guidance and counseling, which is why he left so they could talk rather than stay to tell stories. Cardcaptors In Cardcaptors, to justify the random acts of strangling as mere sibling rivalry, Chelsea is written to be Zachary's cousin. Relationship with Chiharu The manga shows that Yamazaki and Chiharu are actually a couple or in some sort of puppy-love mutual relationship. Often, Chiharu will be seen giving chocolates to him, baking for him, or bringing him lunch. They also go on dates and hold hands. Once, when Chiharu makes a teddy bear and gives it to Yamazaki, she expects that he will name it after her (following a fictional tradition where, if the recipient of a hand made teddy bear names it after the donor, the couple will be together forever). He playfully gives it a different name instead ("Suama", after his favorite snack), which prompts another strangling, but it is understood that he is only kidding. In the anime, Yamazaki and Chiharu are never explicitly stated to be a couple, but a close relationship between them is still evident. In Episode 17, "Sakura's Scary Test of Courage," Tomoyo mentions that they have known each other since kindergarten. She then comments pointedly that it is a lovely thing to be together for such a long time. Yamazaki and Chiharu also appear frequently together outside of school. In Episode 18 they attend the festival together, and she commands him to win her a prize. She often offers to make him food in exchange for a favor or another, upon which he will jokingly say that he will pray for his health as to not get sick from her food. This is followed by Chiharu's signature strangling of Yamazaki, during which he always laughs or smiles. The best evidence of their relationship in the anime is in Episode 46, "Sakura and the Last Judgement," when Sakura is transported into a world where everyone forgets their feelings for the person they love most. Sakura witnesses a very polite and distant conversation between Yamazaki and Chiharu, during which he addresses her as "Mihara-san". When Sakura asks Chiharu if he has always addressed her as such, Chiharu answers yes, adding, "After all, it's not as if we know each other very well." This complete change in relationship confirms that Yamazaki and Chiharu do love each other very much in the old world. Takashi in Tsubasa Yamazaki makes an appearance in another of Clamp's manga series, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, in Piffle Country as an announcer. In Piffle Country, he retains his general attitude to lying. Trivia *While Meilin plays the witch during the school play in Card Captor Sakura the anime, in the manga, it was originally Yamazaki who played that role (so well to the point that Chiharu even commented that she had known him all her life and had never seen him like that before). *In the video diaries, it is revealed that whenever Chiharu steps on his foot, he opens his eyes briefly, something which when pointed out by Chiharu, he told her that it was a reflex. *In the manga, Chiharu sometimes calls Yamazaki "lines for eyes" as he almost always has his eyes closed. *In the manga, it is revealed that Yamazaki is a better cook than Chiharu.